Ibaka, OKC’s other big men combine to hit 22 of 25 shots

OKLAHOMA CITY — It might have been a surprise to the Spurs that Oklahoma City was running offensive plays to Serge Ibaka at times Saturday night.

The lanky Ibaka was supposed to be in the lineup mainly for his defensive skills. Limited offensive skills have dogged him in his NBA career.

But Ibaka answered his critics Saturday night with a career game when his team most needed it.

Ibaka hit all 11 shots from the field en route to a career-high 26 points in the Thunder’s 109-103 victory over the Spurs.

“Maybe for you it was a surprise, but me and my teammates aren’t,” said Ibaka, an All-Defensive team first-team selection this season and the league’s leading shot-blocker the past two seasons. “I work hard every day. And after four years, finally I understand.”

Ibaka was part of an unexpected lift that helped boost the Thunder while Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden struggled for much of the game.

Durant came through in the clutch to finish off the victory by scoring 16 consecutive Oklahoma City points in the fourth quarter. His offensive burst punctuated the victory, pulling the Thunder even at two games apiece in the best-of-7 series.

But if it wasn’t for Ibaka, Kendrick Perkins and Nick Collison, Durant might not have had a game to finish.

Perkins chipped in with 15 points and nine rebounds and Collison added eight. Together, the three Oklahoma City big players combined to hit 22 for 25 from the field.

“We trust our guys to make shots and that’s what’s going to get us past this team,” Harden said.

Strong Oklahoma City ball movement helped get the ball to the inside players.

“In the last two games, we did a really good job as a team of moving the ball,” Ibaka said. “They really crowded the paint but we made the extra pass. And the last two games we did a great job.”

Ibaka’s perfect shooting game was the best in an NBA playoff game since Boston’s Scott Wedman hit all 11 shots against the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on May 27, 1985.

Earlier in the series, the Spurs double-teamed the Thunder’s leading scorers as they practically dared Ibaka to make a shot. His results were not good as he hit only 4 of 14 from the field and averaged 6.5 points in those Oklahoma City losses.

“In the first game against San Antonio they were leaving me open every time because they know we have good players like Kevin and Russ,” Ibaka said. “So I had some good opportunities to make shots. In the first game, I wasn’t making my shots, but I kept working hard and tonight I made them.”

The two wins in Oklahoma City have given the Thunder a different attitude as they return for Monday’s game in San Antonio.

“Right now we have our confidence back,” Ibaka said. “All we need to do is keeping playing the way we’ve played, be aggressive and on offense keep moving the ball. Nothing magic, just play basketball.”